


Christmas Cake

by wildheartmustang



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II
Genre: Dragon Age Christmas Week 2017, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Gift Giving, Innuendo, Satinalia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-21
Updated: 2017-12-21
Packaged: 2019-02-17 18:37:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,381
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13082910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wildheartmustang/pseuds/wildheartmustang
Summary: Nate gets back from the Deep Roads on Satinalia and he and Bethany are able to exchange gifts.As part of Elfrooted and Froschkuss's DA Satinalia Week.★ DAY THREE || DECEMBER 20 || CRYSTAL GRACE





	Christmas Cake

The sound of raucous laughing and singing could be heard coming from the dining hall, where the Wardens and other members of the Orlesian army were having their Satinalia celebration while stationed in a military keep outside Val Royeaux. Bethany on the other hand, wanted to hole herself up in her quarters to catch up on her correspondence; tugging her shawl tighter around her shoulders to keep her warm.

Sat at the table, she read a letter from Varric. Most of it was complaining bitterly about how damn cold it was in Kirkwall, and that he couldn’t make it across Hightown without getting snow in his boots and also getting her up to date about everything that had happened, but there was also a heartfelt wish for her to enjoy Satinalia and to not allow herself to get isolated.

She already felt like she had let him down. Part of her wanted to contact her sister, at least to write a letter to let her know that she was ok. Well, as ok as a Grey Warden could be, but there was something in her heart that couldn’t bring herself to do. She didn’t want to write a letter that would be angry. To accuse her of something that she didn’t even do.

It would take some time to finally come to terms with that.

There was a knock on the door and she looked up from the letter and it’s surprisingly neat scrawl and turned her attention to the door.

“Come in!” Bethany’s normally somber expression changed, just ever so, when she saw the figure who walked in. It became softer, a glimpse of her old self that she had tried to push away.

Her affair with Nathaniel was relatively new, of course her sister and Varric had no idea about it, and there was a part of her that was happy to keep it quiet. She wasn’t one to flaunt her private life in front of others, and neither was Nathaniel really.

“You’re back…” she spoke breathlessly, her eyes then drifted to the bushel of foliage he carried in his hand. “Is… that what I think it is?”

Nathaniel combed his fingers awkwardly through his hair. “So… I had intended to hang this in your quarters to surprise you, but… you’re still here. Instead of feasting and drinking with the others.”

Bethany didn’t even realise the growing smile on her face, “I got a letter, but I was too busy with chores to read it earlier. The question is though… where did you even get a huge bush of mistletoe?”

“We may have taken a… diversion through some farmland on our way here.”

Bethany frowned ironically, “But isn’t farmland private in Orlais?” There was a pause as Nathaniel seemed to hesitate, “Nate…” Bethany’s spoke his name in a tone of warning.

“Ok… We passed a field and I saw the mistletoe growing from an tree…”

“So, you risked getting caught by an Orlesian farmer, just so you could climb a tree to get some mistletoe for me?”

“Essentially, yes.”

“That’s… really romantic… Nobody’s ever done something like that for me.”

Nathaniel took a small knife from his belt bag and cut a small stem of mistletoe off the bushel which he left by the leg of the table. “You deserve more, my lady… Much more. But it’s difficult, being a Warden…”

Bethany rose from her seat and held her hand out. Nathaniel placed the stem of mistletoe into her palm and she held it above her head, as per tradition. There was quite the height difference between them; seven or so inches, so Nathaniel had to lean over, while Bethany stood on her toes and their lips met ever so sweetly. Their kiss lingered for quite some time but it was soft and gentle. There were sparks going from her mouth right down her back and into her toes.

It made her feel things. That was the best Satinalia present anyone could give her.

“I am happy with _you_. You came back.”

“Happy Satinalia, my lady.”

“Happy Satinalia to you too.”

Nathaniel smirked warmly, and her face morphed into one of simple bliss. Bethany leant into her lovers body and wrapped her arms around his waist. “How was the journey back?” she asked lifting her chin to meet his gaze.

“Adequate, we stopped in Val Royeaux for the night,” he said giving her a brief kiss.

“Oh?”

“It was nice to have an actual bed for the night… and a hot bath.”

“I thought you were a bit clean for someone who just did a two week patrol in the Deep Roads.”

Nathaniel gave a soft, throaty chuckle. “A clean Warden? What nonsense is this?” he replied jokingly to which Bethany laughed in reply. “I will say the privilege having a bed to sleep in feels rather hollow when you’re not there.”

“Oh, you’re so full of it.” She tried to divert his flattery, not really believing it in his entirety. “Oh before I forget… I have a present for you,”

“Oh?”

Bethany took a paper box that she had hidden under the seat and held it up right under Nathaniel’s nose; there was a sly smile on her face and he opened the lid slowly. Sat inside was a cake, not just a slice of cake but a whole entire cake, covered in a thick chocolate icing and curled chocolate flakes; some ridiculous Orlesian fare no doubt but it looked absolutely delicious.

“I think you overestimate my appetite,” he remarked.

“That’s not been an issue before,” replied Bethany suggestively.

Nathaniel balked momentarily, “You’re… talking about food, correct?”

Bethany shut the box and rolled her eyes in exasperation with a small smile crossing her lips, “If you don’t want it, I can just leave it in the kitchens for the other Wardens. I’m sure they’d be more than happy to eat the whole thing,”

“Absolutely not.” Nathaniel took the box straight from Bethany’s hands, “I’ll take this as a challenge, my lady.”

Bethany gave one of her husky giggles, “If you make yourself sick, I’ll have no sympathy for you.”

“I could let you have a piece,”

“You’re such a generous man, whatever shall I do without you?” came Bethany’s lightheartedly sarcastic reply.

“So generous I’ll even let you try some of the icing now.”

Wordlessly, Bethany reopened the lid and carefully dug some of the thick chocolate icing onto her index finger, the smell was sweet and heady, just like something a child would enjoy eating. Just like something she would’ve enjoyed eating as a child. Sometimes it was nice to be a child, when you have the most depressing and thankless job in the whole of Thedas.

She raised her finger to her lips and paused for a second, Nathaniel looking at her expectantly, before she smeared the icing on his nose. The man in front of Bethany recoiled in shock, with eyes wide, to which Bethany started to crack up.

“I can’t believe you just did that,”

“Your face is a picture!” Bethany giggled.

Nathaniel put the box on the table and went to take her waist but Bethany jumped back and tried to dash across the room. “Don’t you dare!” she laughed.

Nathaniel took the mistletoe in his hand and chased Bethany managing to take her wrist and pulled her back into his arms, she was laughing so hard that tears pricked in the corner of her eyes. She enjoyed the moments where she could laugh with no reserve, it was a nice change from how she used to feel so often, not just a few years ago.

Nathaniel held the mistletoe above their heads and pressed his nose to her cheek where she felt the icing transfer onto her skin, before he pressed a wet kiss to the spot.

“Delicious, I could eat the whole cake off you like this!”

“It feels so weird!” she hiccuped in between her giggles.

Their gazes met, both grinning uncontrollably, Bethany cradled Nathaniel’s face before kissing the rest of the icing off his nose. “For someone so cynical, you can be damn cute.”

“I’m working on the cynicism, my dear,” she informed her lover with one last small smile before pressing her lips to his.

Happy Satinalia indeed.


End file.
